A Win for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers

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• Reader Comments (2)

  Page 1 of 1 pages

  I can imagine a McDonald’s employee asking the boss for a raise, and being told, “Well, we did have a bit of extra money laying around, but we used it to subsidize the earnings of tomato pickers in Florida, to raise their pay from $7/hour to $12/hour.  So I’m sorry.  It’s only $6/hour for you.”

  This whole process, to me, has reeked of inappropriate extortion, and regardless of it’s being effective in reaching goals that are desirable, these tactics stink.  It gives the labor contractors servicing the tomato farms a free pass.  Similar with the tomato growers.  Also the middlemen who purchase the tomato crop and pass the fruit on to a myriad of customers.  McDonalds and Taco Bell use tomatoes in their products, yes, but? 

  It also does not deal with the seasonal nature of tomato work, and the 6 months of unemployment/underemployment of these workers.  Is that what the McDonald’s subsidy is supposed to bridge?  Is McDonald’s financing an unemployment benefit for them?  Isn’t it the nature of migrant farm workers to be migrant.........and to follow the work when there is no work.  What are these workers doing in Immolee after the year’s tomato work is finished?

  Wheat harvest workers follow the harvest for months, from South Texas to Canada.  The workers that help with the melon harvest move north as the crop ripens in more Northern areas.  Why do these people in Immolee deserve this subsidy?

  Posted by JPetersmith on Apr 23, 2007 at 10:15 AM

  First and foremost these farmworkers are human beings, who work extremely hard in harsh conditions to earn a measely 40 cents a bucket of 125 tomatoes.  They not only endure harsh weather conditions, but they also endure abuse and violence from their employers so you can enjoy your juicy burger.  Not to mention the fact that they don’t have health care either and deal with people who discriminate against them like yourself.  In other words this matter is more than just a group of people earning a well deserved pay raise, but a human rights issue.  I hightly doubt a Mc Donald’s employee in an air conditioned, non-hazardous resturaunt, gets a beat down from his boss for not frying your chicken nuggets fast enough.  And I’m sure a migrant worker would switch places with your McDonald’s employee any day just to avoid the struggles they experience day in and day out. 

  I can go on and on about this issue, but to answer your question...YES.  Your so called “these people” deserve this raise as much as anybody working in these inhumane conditions.  GOOD DAY SIR!

  Posted by Lourdez on Apr 28, 2007 at 4:40 PM

  Page 1 of 1 pages

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